This invention relates generally to the field of vehicle user interfaces.
Various vehicle devices exist that are designed to provide a vehicle operator with travel-related information. For example, a display coupled to a global positioning system (GPS) may be used to present to the vehicle operator a detailed map showing the vehicle location, a desired destination, and the geographic details of the surrounding area. Under certain situations, the vehicle operator has the opportunity to study the map in exact and thorough detail. An example is a parked vehicle. There are other times, however, when the vehicle operator is too busy operating the vehicle to safely view the displayed information, let alone study the displayed information in exacting detail. This is particularly the case where the vehicle operator is in the midst of a particularly taxing circumstance, for example, driving in heavy traffic, driving at high speed, or otherwise distracted by an emergency situation or telephone conversation. In such situations, the display presentation distracts the vehicle operator because the operator focuses attention on the details shown on the display.
Therefore, there exists a need to provide valuable and timely travel-related information to a vehicle operator while minimizing potentially dangerous distractions to the vehicle operator.
The present invention is a system, method, and computer program product for automatically adjusting the output of presentation content to a user based upon one or more vehicle conditions. The method includes receiving presentation content for output to a vehicle operator or other system user that may include display format information in a particular text font or icon size, map detail, or audio content. The method determines whether one of a plurality of vehicle conditions exists, including conditions related to vehicle speed, rate of change in vehicle speed, rate of change in vehicle direction, vehicle emergencies, cellular phone or headphone activation, radar detector activation, noise level decibels above a certain value, etc. A vehicle emergency condition could indicate events ranging from anti-lock braking system activation to radiator overheating to outside temperature variations that correlate to icy road conditions. The method determines an output format for the presentation content based on the determined vehicle condition. Then, the method outputs at least a portion of the presentation content based on the determined output format.
In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, the content is received from a server over a network link. At least a portion of the network link is a wireless link.
As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing summary, the invention provides a method for automatically adjusting output content based on current vehicle conditions.